Previews

Samurai Warriors

A-ha! You thought Koei would go to the Chinese well once again, but for its next game, the company takes the Dynasty Warriors engine for a game set in Japan. Get ready for some samurai and ninja madness.

Spiffy:

Randomly-generated castles and multiple factions add new life to the gameplay; new Japanese setting.

Iffy:

The engine is almost as old as some of the characters in the game ... and it shows in the graphics.

Koei's Dynasty Warriors games have been one of the most successful beat-'em-up series in console gaming. Combining Chinese historical figures, a solid fighting system, and strong level design, gamers have come back for four games and two expansions. Just when it looked like the franchise could no longer be milked, Koei comes back with a twist. The company is taking an upgraded version of the Dynasty Warriors engine and using it for a game set in 16th century Japan. And while it might seem like "Dynasty Warriors Madcap Japanese Adventure", Samurai Warriors should please fans of the previous games with its new characters, new setting, new weapons, multifaceted storyline, and other nifty features.

Samurai Warriors takes place during the Sengoku or "warring states" period in Japanese history. Following the collapse of the Ashikaga Shogunate, the country is in turmoil. Numerous factions are fighting for power in hopes to shape Japan's future. You get to choose between several characters from Japanese history -- each with a hefty dose of embellishment -- and experience the game from their unique perspectives.

Since I haven't studied Japanese history since college and I can't read the Japanese text in the game, I'll simply list the five characters in the build I played and give you my interpretation of them. First up is Sanada Yukimura, the hot, young, and dashing leader that fights with a pole arm. Those with stealthy leanings, as well as fans of Samurai Showdown, can play as the ninja Hattori Hanzo. Then there's the cute, young, and spunky Oichi, or as I like to call her, "adorable honey that fights with a yo-yo." Appearing in an outfit inspired by Lawrence of Arabia is Uesugi Kenshin, who I've dubbed, "constipated samurai man." Last, and clearly least in my time with the game, is Akechi Mitsuhide, who became, "boring dude that I really didn't play as."

Hanzo wonders where Haomaru is.

Fans of Dynasty Warriors will easily pick up on Samurai Warriors. Like Koei's other series, you basically run around on various battlefields and slaughter dozens of enemies. The action is fast paced and it's impressive how many characters are squeezed on screen. The game can played alone as well as competitively or cooperatively with a friend. Modes include Story, Free, New Officer, Survival, Vs., and Challenge. There are a wide variety of side modes and unlockable content for the most diligent players to discover. All told, there are 30 scenarios spanning 90 stages. With multiple perspectives to the mindless violence, the game should offer some nice replay value.

Omega Force has made some improvements and additions to the gameplay. The most immediately noticeable is the game's speed. Samurai Warriors is a faster moving game than Dynasty Warriors 4. The developers have also managed to pack even more characters on screen, upping the body count from absurd to ludicrous.

In Dynasty Warriors, only two factions battled per stage. In Samurai Warriors you'll find situations where there are three. The enemy faction will be marked with red tags, while another faction will be marked with yellow tags. You can choose to ignore, help, or attack the neutral faction, but there will be consequences. Groups you choose to abandon might attack you at a later stage. Getting rid of a potential enemy might make things easier down the road. Or a faction in need might become a valuable ally in the future.

I don't believe kunoichi (female ninja) really existed, but they're in the game.

Samurai Warriors also features several castle levels, complete with traps, hidden doors, and treasure. The new Auto Formation System randomly generates each castle level every time you play. The layout will be different each time a castle generates and the placement of traps, doors, and items will shuffle.

The game is fairly close to completion and although improvements have been made to the ancient engine it uses, the visuals are a definite step behind current games. That said, the gameplay is based on the same entertaining formula that made Dynasty Warriors so popular that they even play it on Fox's The OC. With a new setting, some gameplay twists, and additional variety, Samurai Warriors looks like it will a good game for those seeking a fast-paced beat-'em-up.